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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28211850">The Sweeter the Sun</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unlettered_Heathen/pseuds/Unlettered_Heathen'>Unlettered_Heathen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Critical Role (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Caleb Widogast's Backstory, Canon-Typical Violence, Earth with Fantasy Races, Gen, Intrusive Thoughts, Non-canon backstory changes for the rest of the Nein (sorta), Nott | Veth Brenatto &amp; Caleb Widogast Friendship, Nott | Veth Brenatto's Backstory</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:54:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,954</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28211850</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unlettered_Heathen/pseuds/Unlettered_Heathen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Life in Felderwin, Alberta is slow, but that's just how Caleb likes it. His best friend Nott and her wonderful family are here, his bookstore keeps himself and Frumpkin fed and happy, and even better (although he doesn't know it quite yet) his life's trajectory is about to be thrown for a loop with the introduction of a bunch of crazy people. And maybe, just maybe, they'll all be okay.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>The Mighty Nein &amp; Caleb Widogast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello everyone, and welcome to my very first fic! Critical Role is my current hyperfixation and I've consumed terrible amounts of fanfiction since I became a critter -it's time for me to pay all you wonderful creators back by making content myself!</p><p>I have a pre-Felderwin timeline all done up for everyone (which I'll give you breadcrumbs for as I go!) but if you want to know more please hit me up on tumblr as <b>Unlettered-Heathen</b>! I also love constructive criticism but please send it directly to my tumblr dms and not the comments as I can be terribly shy and easily embarrassed.</p><p>I will get a schedule going once I get the hang of actually posting on ao3 (that's the excuse I'm gonna use anyways but really I just want to have a healthy buffer of a couple of chapters before I commit to anything.)</p><p>Anyways :3 I hope you enjoy! :3</p><p> </p><p>(Fic title from No Plan by Hozier... yes all you creators got me hooked)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Caleb Widogast shouted from the dusty back room of The Book-Laden Shelf, the quaint little downtown shop he had lovingly curated and called home for the past two years. </p><p>“Nein, we are still banned from the bowling alley for two more months and three days because of the last time we went, when you took all of the pins from the lanes and made a ‘fortress’.”</p><p>He turned back to face the open box he was currently taking the recent delivery of books out of, huffing slightly in what, for him, would be considered laughter.</p><p><i>Life with Nott as a best friend is never dull</i>, he thought fondly as he remembered that particular escapade. </p><p>After finishing a particularly competitive game of bowling between them, Nott had stood up on the top of the rickety wooden bench placed beside the ball machine for teams to wait for their turn to bowl, declared herself the “final boss” and then disappeared, re-emerging after a few confusing minutes with a bag full of bowling pins, scrambling to erect walls with the pins standing up on top of each other, balanced precariously, wobbling and threatening to collapse into a large pile. They had summarily been escorted out by the owner, Stacey, a harried-looking human with tan skin and thick crimped brown hair sprinkled with grey, and told in no uncertain terms that she needed, <i>at the very least, <b>three months</b></i> before she would be feeling up to dealing with the two of them again.</p><p>The corners of Caleb’s sky-blue eyes crinkled as he smiled softly, now finished removing the books from the sturdy brown box and sorting them into piles based on where their new homes would be in the store. He could hear Nott muttering quietly to herself in an aggrieved tone. No doubt grouching about Stacey having the audacity to kick them out.</p><p>Caleb stepped back from the table and stretched his back, groaning as he felt faint popping along his spine from hunching over the solid old table in the middle of the room. He looked around the messy room as he hoisted a pile of sorted books into his arms for stocking, noting the dust beginning to collect in the corners and along the rows of mismatched bookshelves holding his overstock, various knick-knacks Nott had collected in the two years the store had been open, and boxes of second-hand books lovingly donated by people in town that hoped their old literary treasures would find new appreciation in future customers. </p><p>
  <i>How far we have come from homeless vagabonds. </i>
</p><p>He stepped out, arms wrapped around the awkward load, pressing the books against his chest for stability, and called out again to Nott.</p><p>“There is the Summer Night Market this weekend and next week. We could all go down together for a quick dinner at that Indian curry stall that just opened and look around. They said there would be some of those travelling street performers we saw last year... ah, according to Tom they come every year? When Luc gets tired perhaps Edith would take him for the evening?”</p><p>As he spoke, he walked over to the section of the store labelled ‘Fiction’ and began shelving the books in his arms.</p><p>Nott, the young goblin woman with long green-black hair wearing a pretty daffodil-yellow dress with button accents and a homemade button necklace, looked up from the computer sitting in her lap between her and the counter parallel to the back wall, listening. The counter in front of her was long and sturdy, serving as a barrier between customers and the till, which itself looked old and well-used but clearly well-cared for, like everything in the store. Nott’s large green floppy goblin ears perked up and her golden cats’ eyes narrowed in thought as she cocked her head to the side, tapping her index finger to her lips and humming consideringly.</p><p>“Technically, the anniversary is on Thursday but I <i>suppose</i> we could wait a day to celebrate. But!”—and she pointed her knobby finger at Caleb in warning, her shrill voice suddenly brooking no objection— “we’re still getting together Thursday at least for a bit! And you’re gonna let us feed you! That’smyfinaloffer!” And with that proclamation, Nott turned back to her laptop and immediately became absorbed by whatever task he had interrupted.</p><p>Finished with his pile of books, Caleb continued putting away the rest of the delivery, then ambled absently about the store, straightening the various matching long wooden shelves and fiddling with displays as his mind wandered elsewhere, the clacking of keys as Nott worked on the computer filed away as background noise. He recalled stocking this very shelf for the first time nearly two years ago -technically, it would be two years in two days, as today was Tuesday and, as Nott had pointed out, the anniversary of the store’s opening was Thursday. She knew as well as Caleb that he wouldn’t forget. Couldn’t forget. He remembered nearly everything perfectly from early childhood onwards, the blessing and curse of an eidetic memory. Except for his time in...</p><p>
  <i>Nein. I will not go down that rabbit hole today.</i>
</p><p>He mentally skirted around those thoughts and the involuntary panic they induced, using a breathing technique he had learned during the mandatory therapy sessions he and Nott had attended as part of their recovery program prior to moving to Felderwin. Or back to, in Nott’s case.</p><p>
  <i>Einatmen, eins… zwei… drei… fier… Ausatmen, eins… zwei… drei… fier… fünf… sechs…</i>
</p><p>
  <i></i>
</p><p>
  <i></i>
</p><p>
  <i>(Breathe in, one… two… three… four… Breathe out, one… two… three… four… five… six…)</i>
</p><p>After a couple of repetitions, Caleb was feeling settled again, and just in time as the bell connected to the door of his shop tinkled, bringing in a wave of children and parents he recognized as here for his Tuesday after-school tutoring class.</p><p>“Uncle Caleb!”</p><p>Luc’s voice rang out, filling the shop. It was the only warning he got before impact, his leg suddenly glomped by a small halfling boy.</p><p>“<i>Hallo</i>, Luc. How was <i>Kindergarten</i>? I see you got to paint today. Did you make something for your mother?”</p><p>Indeed, Luc’s yellow overalls and purple shirt had small splotches of color all over it. Splotches which, when Luc finally released his hold on Caleb’s leg, had made a home on Caleb’s pants as well.</p><p>As Luc began chatting away to Caleb about his day, Caleb’s eyes found Yeza in the small influx of people. Caleb waved to Yeza as he began getting the kids situated in the reading nook that doubled as his tutoring space.</p><p>As he got ready to begin working with his few students -<i><b>His</b> students!</i> he thought proudly- he sent Luc over to Nott, smiling faintly as he watched Luc excitedly repeat everything he had told Caleb not two minutes before.</p><p><i>This</i>, he thought fondly to himself as he watched his dearest friend, his <b>family</b>, talking quietly in a corner of <b>his bookstore</b>, <i>This is more than I could have ever imagined having again.</i> And with that thought he turned back to his students, content.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Festival! Festival! Festival! Welcome to the barest hint of a plot!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Caleb’s reflection looked back at him in the bathroom mirror of his one-bedroom apartment. He was a pale, freckled, lanky man, creating the illusion of being tall despite being quite average height for a human. His long auburn hair was pulled back into a lazy ponytail, with more than a few silky strands threatening to escape and slither down his cheeks to settle along his shoulders. An amber pendant peeked out of the top of his shirt. The graphic tee was a light blue with ‘Uncle Shark’ printed across the front, a cute, simple, stylized shark underneath the words. It went well with the faded black of his skinny jeans. Along his forearms, scars stood out in odd patterns, long, thin, and shining in the soft white light of the bathroom.</p>
<p>Taking one last long look at himself, Caleb sighed and put on a simple brown braided leather bracelet. As soon as it was fastened on his wrist, the scars were gone without a trace. He fixed his ponytail, tucked the amber pendant back under his shirt, grabbed his phone, wallet, and keys off of the sink and headed downstairs to the back door that doubled as his store delivery door.</p>
<p>He walked out into the paved alleyway, locking the door behind him and pressing his finger to a specific spot on the door, setting the permanent Alarm spell that would alert him if anyone tried to enter through the doors or windows of the store or apartment above it.</p>
<p>Caleb pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Nott, letting her know that he was on his way over to the park where the Night Market was being held. They agreed to meet near the actual Farmer’s Market building, a bright red and white affair attempting to mimic the feel of a barn and situated only a couple blocks away from the entrance to the park. </p>
<p>He set out with a brisk pace, stepping out of the alleyway and down the extra-wide brick sidewalk typical of downtown Felderwin. Storefronts lined both sides of the streets, the buildings pressed against one another and roofs barely higher than the streetlamps that would light the narrow roadway once the sun went down. A single tall window-lined building loomed in the distance, Felderwin’s single skyscraper, although privately Caleb thought the 14-storey building barely met the classification.</p>
<p>It took him only a few minutes to reach the Farmer’s Market as it was technically part of Felderwin’s downtown. The sun beat down on him as he waited by the fairly full parking lot, the sky a brilliant blue and air full of the sweet scents and sounds of summer. Caleb could faintly hear music and people on loudspeakers drifting from the park and he smiled, quietly excited to experience the event through Luc’s innocent eyes. Last year he had avoided going with the Brenattos, still unsure of his place in their family and in the town that had so graciously opened their arms to both himself and their previously-believed-dead, halfling-turned-goblin former local, Nott. Or Veth as the town had previously known her.</p>
<p>Caleb was still in awe of how the town had rallied around the Brenattos once word got out of her actually being alive and subsequent transformation. Nott herself didn’t believe for months how her reputation had changed since she had disappeared after the brutal change she had endured. Apparently dying to save her family from a goblin raid had changed people's view of her from ‘that Odd Smythe kid’ and later ‘the Odd Brenatto woman’ to ‘Veth the Brave’. It was an easy step for the townspeople to accept her as the goblin she currently was, though Nott admitted she hated the pitying looks she sometimes got.</p>
<p>A small yellow and red smart car pulled into the lot and parked near the entrance. Both doors opened and soon Caleb found himself in the familiar position of having his leg trapped in the embrace of a certain small halfling boy.</p>
<p>“Hi Uncle Caleb! Mom said there’s gonna be jugglers and robot people and stories and toys and lots of cool stuff! I reeeeeeeeeally want some tiny donuts but Dad said we gotta have supper first!”</p>
<p>Caleb blinked at the onslaught of words and huffed a laugh before answering, patting Luc’s head gently.</p>
<p>“<i>Hallo</i>, Luc. I see someone is very excited to go. I am excited also, I have never seen performers like this before.”</p>
<p>“Hi Cay-Cay!”  “Hi Caleb!”</p>
<p>“Ah, <i>hallo</i>.” Caleb looked up to see Yeza and Nott close their car doors and head towards them. A tiny <i>beep-beep</i> sounded as Nott gave Caleb a hug, then tugged Luc off of Caleb’s leg.</p>
<p>“So? How’s the shop? And Frumpy?” Nott asked as they began to head over to the park entrance together. She gave him a gentle nudge with her shoulder and smiled.</p>
<p>Before Caleb could say anything, Luc wedged his way between them, grabbed one of Caleb’s and Nott’s hands and leaped forward, forcing Caleb to swing him upwards.</p>
<p>“Luc!” Yeza scolded.</p>
<p>But Nott and Luc both just cackled and Nott began swinging her boy back and forth, forcing Caleb to follow suit. Exactly as Luc had planned, it seemed.</p>
<p><i>Like mother, like son</i>, Caleb thought to himself in amusement as they swung Luc and walked down the asphalt path winding down to the park.</p>
<p>The park itself was a wide, open grassy space with trees dotting the landscape. It stretched on either side of a small but quickly moving creek, originally a flood plain from before the town had created a reservoir that controlled the flow of water into the creek. In the middle of the park sat a squat building, the Felderwin Park Pavilion. During events like this it became packed with different booths and events set up by the park employees, and today there were tents and tables set up around the building and spilling over to the outdoor stage permanently set up on the other side of the large parking lot. The whole area was filled with people from around the region selling homemade and homegrown goods, as well large crowds of people watching as the international Street Performers that came every year entertained children and adults alike. Music drifted on the air from the stage and half a dozen other places in the park, clashing in many cases but somehow it still only added to the atmosphere.</p>
<p>Soon the group found themselves joining a crowd of people watching a wood elf woman in brightly colored spandex climb on top of a precarious-looking stand and ride a unicycle while hula-hooping with four hoops of various sizes. They managed to squeeze through to the front without losing their supper -flatbread filled with a mild curry from the sole Indian food vendor- so Luc could sit with the other children already completely mesmerized by the act.</p>
<p>They continued watching a variety of acts, from the hula-hooper to a gnome doing silly illusions that Nott swore was mostly sleight-of-hand and not actual magic, a dragonborn who made large, amazing, brain-bending art pieces using various everyday objects… eventually Caleb let it all blend together, content to go over his memories later and pick out his favorite bits. </p>
<p>Eventually, as the sky began to darken and the streetlamps sprinkled along the winding pathways lit up, they settled on the outskirts of the event on a wooden bench near the creek, resting their legs and enjoying the evening air. There were a few groups of people lounging in the open field to their left, chatting and snacking on food from the vendors and playing with various things they clearly bought at the stalls, and though the voices were mostly muffled by distance Caleb could sometimes make out laughter ringing throughout the park. Luc wandered around nearby, happy to take this opportunity to explore the area under his parents’ watchful eyes. It was nice. Peaceful. Caleb closed his eyes for a moment, allowing himself to just let it all soak in.</p>
<p>It would all be shattered a moment later when Luc began to scream about a giant demon toad.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I have a confession to make... I haven't posted using HTML stuff regularly since Gaia Online. So I keep using square brackets rather than the pointy ones for bolding and the like. Le sigh.</p>
<p>Come bug me on tumblr! I'm [b]Unlettered-Heathen[/b]</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the dumb little errors, I just finished getting the kids' presents under the tree and don't have the spoons to fight the copy-paste changes from my microsoft doc to here. I'll get to it tomorrow sometime.</p><p>I have about half a chapter of buffer at this point but I figured I might as well post one chapter. I'll probably get more done when I'm taking a break from the kiddos tomorrow. They're sweet, don't get me wrong, but when they're loud and don't stop moving from the moment they wake up until they somehow magically fall asleep? And can't go play outside cuz it's cold as balls? We take sanity breaks.</p><p>Hope you enjoy! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“AAAAAAAH! It’s a giant demon toad! I’LL SAVE YOU!”</p><p>Luc’s scream echoed in the evening air, making Caleb’s heart leap into his throat as he jumped and turned to face the threat, fire already burning bright in both of his hands. Out of the corner of one eye he noticed Nott doing the same, a small crossbow seemingly materializing out of nowhere into her steady hands.</p><p>Barely 50 feet from them both -between Luc, holding a foam sword, and an oddly idyllic picnic scene featuring a pretty blue tiefling- was a wicked-looking black toad the size of a human, with flames belching forth from it’s mouth and glowing in odd fissures and cracks in it’s skin.</p><p>Nott <i>screeched</i>  “DON’T YOU TOUCH MY BOY!” and fired rapidly into the monstrosity’s mass, Caleb following suit with three Scorching Rays, the both of them trying to draw it’s attention from Luc.</p><p>“WAIT WAIT WAIT! JUST- PLEASE HOLD ON FOR JUST ONE SECOND!” The toad cried out in a masculine… British voice? It’s (<i>…his?</i>) hands were up in front of <i>him?</i> in a ‘hold up’ gesture.</p><p>Off to the side, the tiefling woman cackled madly, clearly enjoying the toad’s plight. Luc just watched wild-eyed, gaze darting back and forth from his mom and Uncle Caleb to the monster. Further in the distance, people were beginning to take notice, the low sounds of murmuring starting at the exceedingly odd display.</p><p>From one blink to the next, the toad …thing… became a two-toned half orc, his black hair shot through with a shock of silver, tusks just barely peeking out from his lower lip. He was slight for a half-orc, but clearly used to heavy labor from the definition on his arms. The poor man looks in rough shape, scorched in a few places and with at least three bolts sticking out of him.</p><p>Veth narrowed her eyes at the man. “Explain yourself! Or you’ll look like a hedgehog when I’m done with you!” she threatened, her crossbow held steady towards him.</p><p>“I’m terribly sorry ma’am, I was just playing with this boy here and -this is your son? But-   Anyways, he was showing me this toad he caught and telling me all about how it was some sort of baby demon toad that—”</p><p>“Idon’tcareaboutanyofthat WHAT WERE YOU DOING TO MY BOY!” Nott screeched, adjusting her crossbow for maximum damage and to remind the half-orc that she was still very much armed and dangerous.</p><p>“Ah, Veth, honey? Just look at Luc, okay? He’s fine, see? But you are kinda scaring me a little, dear.” Yeza, who was by now over by Luc and ushering him over to Nott’s side, interrupted them before anything else could happen. “Can we maybe put the crossbow down and talk?”</p><p>The blue tiefling suddenly perked up at Nott’s name, speaking very quickly in an Eastern European accent. “Oh, you’re Veth? I’ve heard about you! You like, saved everyone from goblins or something and everyone thought you were dead but then you weren’t and oh! You got cursed to be a goblin, right? Is that why you’re a goblin but your son and your husband are halflings? You guys are <i>super cute</i> together, though and I really—”</p><p>Caleb, who by this point has been mostly following Nott’s lead, interrupted the tiefling. “<i>Entschuldigung bitte,</i> but I can see this whole thing” -and gestured at the half-orc’s somewhat charred visage- “has been a, er, big misunderstanding, for which I am terribly sorry, but may I just ask who exactly you are, that has heard all of these things about my friends? I do not believe I have seen you around here before.” </p><p>Caleb looked around to see the beginnings of the crowd and grimaced. “Also, I believe your friend is in need of healing and perhaps we could talk more on the way to the hospital, <i>ja</i>?” He turned to Yeza. “Perhaps Nott and I could take the car and drop them off?”</p><p>The tiefling woman giggled. “Oh, you don’t need to do that. I can heal him! I <i>am</i> a cleric to the Traveller after all. I help out at the hospital sometimes, you know?” As she spoke, she began pulling out the bolts one by one and ignoring his sounds of pain. When they were out, she went “Boop!” and poked the half-orc’s nose with one finger. Green light flashed from her fingertip and the wounds as they healed up, the burns now reduced to just a bit of shiny red skin.</p><p>By now, Nott had put her crossbow back wherever it came from. She was still wary but used this time to double-check on Luc, fussing over him as he rolled his eyes and assured his mom that he was fine. The small crowd had dispersed as soon as it was clear the commotion had ended, much to Caleb’s private relief.</p><p>“I’m Jester, by the way. And this is Fjord! He works for the Blooming Grove down by the Eisfus River, with the Clays, you know? And I have an art studio downtown with lots of classes for kids and adults, we do lots of things there. You should come by some time! It's loooots of fun!” </p><p>Jester had come up to them, dragging Fjord behind her, and now she stood in front of them with her arm outstretched. She waited patiently for Nott to finish visibly assessing them before taking Jester’s hand, Jester shaking it exuberantly before letting go and turning to Caleb.</p><p>“Ah, I am Caleb. Caleb Widogast.” Caleb shook her hand, marvelling at the strong grip as she basically shook his arm up and down for him. “I own The Book-Laden Shelf downtown, I don’t know if you have heard of it. It is –it is very small. But the people of Felderwin are very welcoming and it has been very good to me."</p><p>“Well Cayleb, it’s very nice to meet you. And you too, is it Nott or Veth? Because Cayleb called you Nott but your husband called you Veth and the people here are calling you 'Veth, the Brave.' ” Jester said that last part in a very haughty, imperial voice.</p><p>Nott looked a bit uncomfortable. “Well, I was Veth when I was a halfling. But now, I’m not, so I’m Nott, see? I’d really rather not talk about it if it’s all the same to you, but please call me Nott.”</p><p>“Well, it’s very nice to meet you however you’d like us to call you, ma’am.” The half-orc -Fjord, apparently- chimed in. He shook Nott’s hand as well, then Caleb’s as he continued. “I am very sorry for scaring you, making you think your son was in any danger. Please believe me when I say I had absolutely no intention of doing so, I just thought a brave adventurer like him would enjoy having a bigger foe to slay.”</p><p>Nott eyed him up and down, considering. “Well honestly, you don’t look all that tough. I can see why you had to disguise yourself to be threatening.”</p><p>While Fjord spluttered, Yeza took that moment to speak up. “Honey, after all that excitement I think Luc and I are ready to head home for some quiet. Did you want to stay for a bit with Caleb and your new friends? You can stay with Caleb tonight if you want, or I think you still have some cash for a cab? The buses are running later tonight too.”</p><p>At his father’s side, Luc didn’t look too happy, but also looked fairly tuckered out himself. Caleb recognized that look in his eyes from times he had stayed over with the Brenattos for the evening and Luc wanted to stay up, or when they had all gone to the indoor swimming pool together and it was time to leave.</p><p>Nott clearly saw it too, because she immediately agreed that it was time to go. Caleb, Nott, and Yeza all said the customary “goodbye’s” and “nice to meet you agains” and promised in vague terms to come and visit Jester’s studio sometime before making a subtle but hasty exit to their car, where Caleb said a much more genuine farewell to the Brenattos before heading home.</p><p>Caleb settled for the night, making some herbal tea and sitting down with a dog-eared paperback he had picked out earlier from the second-hand books’ “unsellables” pile. A few chapters into the book, he received texts from Yeza, pictures from their family outing. He saved them on his phone and set a particularly cute one of Luc showing off his sand painting to his lock screen. He then thanked Yeza and assured him that he had enjoyed his time with them, even with the abrupt ending.</p><p>That night, laying in bed, Caleb thought back to some of the things they had done together and smiled a rare smile, gentle and happy with no trace of melancholy on his features. He was happy, he was safe, and he had family that loved him. Caleb fell asleep to sweet dreams.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Caleb gets a shock first thing the next morning. Also, pastries.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So I haven't done more than a quick proof-read, so please let me know if there are any glaring errors.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone that left kudos! I'm really just writing this for myself but it really makes me happy that other people are enjoying it too! Also, can you tell that my version of Felderwin is based on my hometown? We call it a city but it's only got like, 60k permanent residents all told lol. It's also a major hub for the region, since we've got the only real hospital for hundreds of km around. And only superwalmart. So... yeah.</p>
<p>Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed stretching my mental muscles! :3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day dawned calm and bright as Caleb woke to sunlight streaming through his blinds. He went through his morning routine half asleep, stumbling from his small bedroom to the only other actual room in his tiny apartment, which functioned as his kitchen, dining room, living room and study, nearly stepping on an affectionate Frumpkin on the way to the coffee pot.</p>
<p>The Fey Bengal cat weaved around his legs, meowing and chirruping as Caleb turned on the machine and got a chipped red mug out of the cupboard. He only stopped once Caleb had finally opened a can of wet food and dropped it into his cat bowl. Satisfied, the cat turned to his breakfast and blatantly ignored Caleb as he began to eat.</p>
<p>Caleb quickly put together a breakfast of his own, a multigrain bagel with cream cheese and freshly-brewed coffee. He shuffled over to his tiny two-seater table and ate while catching up on store emails and the Facebook page Caleb had reluctantly made at Nott’s urging to give the store an online presence. He made sure to keep himself out of the photos for fear of facial recognition software tagging him and alerting someone, even though his Cobalt Soul contact had assured him every trace of himself had been scrubbed.</p>
<p>They didn’t know the Cerberus Assembly like he did, despite everything he had told them about his past and their... methods.</p>
<p>These thoughts played out in the back of his head, mostly unnoticed by Caleb as he went through his morning routine and headed downstairs to the shop proper. He had practice ignoring the paranoid thoughts always murmuring that he wasn’t safe, and he wasn’t going to let them ruin such a good start to his day if he could help it.</p>
<p>As he got the store set up for opening, he suddenly became aware of someone waiting just outside the doors. Mostly from the surprise banging that scared him enough to drop the front door keys before he could unlock them.</p>
<p>“<i>Gotternverdammt!</i>” He shouted as he clutched his chest, his heart beating wildly. He was breathing hard as he looked out the long glass panels of his doors, recognising the amused-looking blue tiefling from last night. Jester, his mind supplied helpfully. She was holding a brown paper bag in one hand and balancing a cardboard drink tray full of drinks from the local café down the block, shuffling from foot to foot impatiently.</p>
<p>After retrieving his keys from the polished wooden floor, he unlocked the doors and opened one warily, half expecting Jester to push her way in and knock him over. Pleasantly surprised when she didn’t, he greeted her with a quiet wheeze of a <i>”Hallo”</i> -he still hadn’t quite recovered- and followed behind as she rushed over to the counter serving as his front till area.</p>
<p>“Okay, sooooo I didn’t know what you liked so I got a few things and I figured you probably maybe would like <i>one</i> of them at the very least and then I’d go visit like Fjord or Molly or Caduceus since they’ll be setting up for the regular market today and give them whatever you don’t pick!” Jester pointed to the drinks one by one. “This one’s a matcha latte, it’s pretty good if you like green tea and stuff. This one’s just a vanilla latte because no offence Cayleb, but you seem kinda boring and I thought maybe you’d just want some coffee but <i>no one</i> just buys coffee from the café so I got the next most boring drink. This one is like, a strawberry mocha or something? And this one is mine! It’s got chocolate milk and cheesecake gelato in it with extra whipped cream. But I guess if you want that one that’s okay too, I don’t mind. I made sure that one of the other drinks is one I like too but it’s a secret which one it is!”</p>
<p>Caleb blinked at the onslaught. He decided against telling Jester that he did, in fact, go to the café down the street sometimes just for the coffee. It <i>was</i> their specialty after all, some sort of roasted and smoked coffee bean that they sold quite a bit of in bags and tins. He thought for a moment, absentmindedly scratching his forearms.</p>
<p>“Ah, thank you Jester. I was not expecting you to come and visit me so quickly, and I hope you didn’t feel that you had to bring me anything to, ah, to ‘sweeten the deal’ so to speak. There were no lingering ill feelings due to last night, I assure you. I know Nott and Yeza feel the same as well, and Luc was just very excited to see it all.” Caleb’s eyes crinkled as the faintest of smiles appeared on his face.</p>
<p>“Oh, good! I was hoping Nott wasn’t too mad, you know, even though I totally brought up a ton of sad stuff. But that’s not why I came, I came to visit you and see if you guys wanted to be our friends! And I won’t judge you even if you <i>do</i> pick the lame drink, I promise.”</p>
<p>Caleb snorted. “Well, I would hate to disappoint you, Miss Jester.” I am definitely not bringing up my drinking habits, he thought wryly. “I will take the, ah, ‘boring’ option, if you please. I am a very boring old man, after all.”</p>
<p>“Well then, here you are Mister Widogast. Or do you prefer Old Man Widogast?” Jester snickered. “But seriously, you <i>have</i> to have some of pastries I brought. They started making my favorite since I’m there like, practically every day. Cinnamon bear claws! They taste just like home!” She handed him his drink and a bear claw, adding “They’re supposed to be very good for your libido too, you know? Which you might need since you’re so old and dour.”</p>
<p>Caleb choked on the sip of his latte, causing Jester to pound on his back with surprising strength, cackling in delight. Once he felt he could talk, he gasped out a “That is good to know, but I do not- I am not exactly- I…”</p>
<p>Jester took pity on Caleb, patting his back where she had surely bruised him. “Oh man, you should see your face right now. Don’t worry Cayleb, I’m sure you don’t need any help with that. But if you <i>do,</i> I know all sorts of things that can help, or my momma isn’t the Ruby of the Sea.”</p>
<p>“Ah, …thank you, I think?.” <i>The Ruby of the Sea?</i> It sounded familiar, but he didn’t recall from where. <i>Hmmm.</i> “But truly, I do appreciate this gesture-“ <i>Heh!</i> “-and please do not be a stranger to the shop. I cannot promise to be interesting, but I would like us to be friends. And that Fjord fellow as well. And please forgive me if I am being too forward, but I am curious how people such as yourselves have ended up here? I- I mean only that yourself and Fjord do not seem like you are originally from a rural area and this is a very out-of-the-way place to settle down.” </p>
<p>“Of course, Cayleb! But only if you do the same! Oh! Were you one of those Hutterite people but  like, you left the colony to meet your <i>one true love?</i>” Jester gasped and clapped her hands together as an idea came to her. “Oh! Is your one true love books? Did you leave because you were caught owning ‘The Courting of the Crick’ or something and then they tried to make you give it up and you decided you’d rather leave and then met Nott and she saved you and taught you how to live in like, modern times or something?”</p>
<p>Caleb chuckled at that. “<i>Nein,</i> Jester. I am not a Hutterite, I am originally from Germany, though we moved to the States when I was very young. And I believe Hutterites are very much familiar with much of ‘modern times’ as you put it. From what I have seen, they are very nice people, just a bit odd in their ways, I think. And, ah, my story with meeting Nott is not a very pleasant one, I’m afraid. I do not wish to ruin such a good morning with it right now, although I don’t mind telling it. Just not- not today.”</p>
<p>He wasn’t sure how Jester would take hearing about Nott and Caleb’s first meeting in the drunk tank of a tiny town in the region, or their respective bouts of homelessness. He didn’t think she would judge them harshly for it, but he wasn’t in a great headspace to handle any misguided pity, not with intrusive thoughts at the edges of his brain, saying <i>worthless, worthless</i> and <i>you don’t deserve this</i> and worst of all, <i>traitor, murderer</i> all scratching away at him in the shadowed corners of his mind, trying to consume him.</p>
<p>Caleb took a couple of subtle calming breaths and mentally went over a grounding exercise, deliberately taking notice of things around him with his five senses in a matter of seconds.</p>
<p>“Oh, Cayleb, can I give you a hug?” Jester waited until Caleb gave her a small nod, then brought him in tight. “You don’t need to tell me anything, I’m sorry for bringing up painful things. Here I just finished apologizing for upsetting Nott and here I am putting my big stupid foot in my mouth again!”</p>
<p>Caleb patted her on the back gently, trying to let her know that the hug was appreciated and that he didn’t hold anything against her. “It is okay, Jester. It is just a difficult story to tell, sometimes, and I don’t want to ruin such a beautiful morning -and the bear claws- with it. Especially after having such a delightful surprise such as yourself.” He smiled despite himself, although inside he was still feeling a little off-kilter. It was just going to be one of those days, he accepted ruefully.</p>
<p>“Anyways, I should not keep you much longer, not if you want to deliver those drinks to your friends while they are still warm. You, ah, will have to come back sometime to visit. After all, you still have not told me about yourself and Fjord. If you come by during the week, perhaps closer to lunch time, you will be able to visit Nott as well. She often comes by to make sure I eat while she works. She, ah, does some freelance coding and such and brings her laptop so she can fuss while she works.”</p>
<p>“That sounds wonderful, Cayleb! Alright, I’ll leave you be and come by during the week sometime to harass you. Oh! And here’s my phone number, you absolutely should text me so we can plan a get-together or something!” Jester wrote her number on a napkin, having somehow apparated a pink sparkly gel pen into her hand. “And if you don’t, <i>I know where you work!</i></p>
<p>With that threat hanging in the air, probably far more fearsome to Caleb than she had intended -more because she was a hurricane incarnate than anything sinister- she scooped up the drinks and bounced out of the store, leaving the bag full of goodies for Caleb to contend with.</p>
<p><i>Well,</i> thought Caleb. <i>I suppose I’ve just been adopted into friendship yet again.</i> Somehow, that thought didn’t bother Caleb as much as he thought it maybe should have. He considered the implications of that for the rest of the day, intrigued.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hit me up on tumblr as <b>Unlettered-Heathen</b> &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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